Kerbside bin changes set to make recycling more simple

Kerbside bin changes set to make recycling more simple

RECYCLING will be made simpler from February, with plans revealed that will make kerb side pick ups a whole lot easier for homeowners.

At the moment glass, tins and cans all go into one black box for collection, with paper, cardboard and plastic put in a blue bin for fortnightly collection.

However from as early as next February, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tin cans, pots, tubs and food and drink cartons will all be able to be dropped into the blue lidded bin.

Just glass will go in the black box.

A food waste bin could also be introduced from 2023, with the council waiting to hear if central Government will make all councils start food collections.

Despite pleas from members of the Environment Select committee to launch food bins sooner, Cllr Bridget Wayman said it would not be possible.

The cabinet member for waste said: “It’s not as simple as introducing food waste bins. We have just taken delivery of new waste vehicles, and there would need to be adaptations to them made. We have contracts with Hills that have to take into account. The Government also recognise this, so it isn’t that easy.”

During the same meeting, it was confirmed that the proportion of waste that goes to landfill in Wiltshire has dropped from over half of all waste to just 15 per cent in the last 10 years.

In 2018/19, 40 tonnes was collected as recycling and 27.7 tonnes was collected as green garden waste which will also be recycled.

Figures published by at Tuesday's (aug 3) Environment Select committee meeting revealed that while in 2008/09, 56.4 per cent of waste would end up in landfill, now 15.7 per cent ends up in the same non recyclable land fills. A target was set to ensure less than 25 per cent ended up in landfill by 2014 was achieved by the council.

Cllr Wayman said: “It has been a strategic aim to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Through improvements and diverting a significant proportion of waste that cannot be recycled to energy plants, the council now sends less than 16 per cent to land fill each year. A significant reduction on previous years.”

Part of the reason for the increase is due to increasing waste being diverted from landfill to energy plants and incinerators.

Wiltshire has contracts to send up to 110 tonnes to plants and incinerators to turn waste into energy. There is a 10 year contract with the incinerator at Lakeside Energy from Waste Plant, Slough and and 25 year contract with Northacre Resource Recovery Centre in Westbury, which has been given permission to build an incinerator on the plot.

In total, 228,589 tonnes of waste was created in Wiltshire in 2018/19.

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